


The Date

by Esbe



Series: Together [7]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Awkward Flirting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-07 10:55:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5454104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Esbe/pseuds/Esbe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Asking John to a date</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Date

**Author's Note:**

> In the grand tradition of making you hop between my fics- this follows Indelible Patterns.  
> The whole tiny bottle thing isn't clear other wise  
> Or forget that. I guess you'll get it any ways.
> 
> I've juggled them and have this follow immediately. But I realise it would be better to figure a way to write ficlets so they make sense without having to read a previous one.

It has been five days since he was given that tiny bottle labelled nail paint remover. He has analysed the whole series of events and come to certain conclusions. He is sure that the probability of his conclusions being erroneous is a mere 0.017. Which he deems acceptable.

Mycroft has the whole speech prepared. Not a speech really, more of a dialogue. He knows what his leading statement will be and he can reasonably predict John’s responses and so on and so forth. He checks his appearance once more. John seems to prefer informal clothing so he has foregone the tie and the waistcoat. The jacket has leather elbow patches (yes it is charcoal grey), his shoes are suede though and the silk scarf around his neck is a deep maroon. He is rather proud of having successfully dressed down. 

John will be leaving Lestrade’s office in another thirteen minutes. He is just dropping off some paper work from the last case. He has no other plans and will possibly drop into the Tesco express on the way back home, and so Mycroft has timed it accordingly. 

Mycroft knows the instant John sees the black car idling on the road. His eyes dart around and when he spots Mycroft he breaks into a smile. 

They meet somewhere in the middle.

“Hi!”

“Good afternoon, John!”

“Come to meet Greg or kidnapping me?”

“You! Not kidnap...ping. Of course.” 

John is teasing him and grinning… why does he always stand at parade rest? It draws attention to his feet. Yes it does. And it has been five days since a small bottle upturned his world.

“John will you join me for a cotton?”

“Sorry?”

“I mean… will you rub coffee…?”

The grin just gets wider.

Damn! Damn! Damn! Mycroft takes a deep breath and resolutely moves forward as planned, “John, will you join me for a cup of coffee?” There.  _Clear and concise_.

“I'd love to. Can we walk there?” the mischief is still there.

The idea of walking side-by-side appeals far more than sitting side-by-side at the moment. He abandons his previous plan and formulates a new one. Letting his chauffeur know, he gestures John. He pulls on his most nonchalant gait and tucks a hand in his pocket the other holding the umbrella. 

They are almost at the café. The sun is out and a few tables are placed out on the sidewalk. John will prefer those and so he is gesturing towards them when John says, “Nice jacket, by the way.” 

The tips of his ears are burning.

They sit at a table, drinking coffee and speaking about everything and nothing. Sixty-eight minutes pass before John looks at the time and grimaces. “Sorry. You didn’t need to be elsewhere, right?”

“Not at all, John. It was a pleasure. I hope we can do this again.” _Smooth_.

“Yup. I’d like that.”

The bill is paid. John can walk back home and Mycroft’s car is turning into the street.

They are just leaving when that grin is back and John takes Mycroft hand and says, “Perhaps next time we can skip coffee, but we could try the rubbing, cotton, etc. Hmmm? The kidnapping is entirely optional.” _Perfect_.

**Author's Note:**

> My head canon says that Mycroft's idea of dressing down would be elbow patches and suede and a niftily tied silk scarf. My head canon also has a Mycroft who had a stammer as a kid. It was his equivalent of the lisp. Initially I used that. But then I thought it would be too cruel to have him all nervously bungling and stammering. (I'm such a softie). And then I read a Mystrade where he had a rather adorable stammer! Not cruel at all. Duh!
> 
> And finally I like to think that the ice man loses all his suave sophistication the minute he is in a romantic situation with John


End file.
